Combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser



Nov. 10, 1942. R, MAYER 2,301,305

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, LIGHTER, AND DISPENSER Filed May 8, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I'NVENTOR RICHARD MAYER ATTORN EY R. MAYER Nov. 10, 1942.

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, LIGHTER, AND DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8, 1941 INVENTOR 0 MAYER RICH BY A 4 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 1d, 1942 UNITED STA COWENATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, LIGHTER, AND DISPENSER Richard Mayer, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor to Masterbilt Products Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 8, 1941, Serial No. 392,473

14 Claims.

This invention relates generally to cigarette containers. More particularly, my invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in combination cigarette containers, lighters, and dispensers especially, though not exclusively, adapted for automobile use, and has for its chief object the provision of a structure of the type and for the purpose stated which may be readily constructed, which is compact and artistic in form and appearance, which may be easily installed upon the automobile, which may be readily filled, which is easily and conveniently operable for lighting and dispensing the cigarettes successively one by one, which is economical and entirely safe in electrical consumption, and which is efficient and satisfactory in the performance of its intended functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (2 sheets),

Figure l is a reduced perspective view of an installed combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure with I the lighting-element and dispensing-tray in retracted, housed, or normal position; 7

Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal and transverse sectional views on the lines 3-3 and 4- 5, Figure 2, respectively;

Figure 5 is a plan View of the structure with the lighting-element and dispensing-tray in withdrawn or dispensing position; and

Figures 6 and '7 are longitudinal and transverse sectional views on the lines 66 and 1-1, respectively, Figure 5.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the structure includes a preferably metallic boxshaped or drawer-like shell or housing A of suitable dimensions and preferably of oblong-rectangular contour in plan view, the shell A comprising a rear wall I, opposite side walls 2, a front wall 3, and a bottom wall 4 all permanently suitably fixed together and the bottom wall 4 being marginally extended laterally, as at a, a, in the provision of guide-strips for slidably supporting the shell A upon ways 5, 5, suitably mounted upon or in relation to the instrumentboard B of an automobile. As best seen in Figures l, 2, and 3, the shell front Wall 3 is normally,

- 6 for a portion of their length, are guide-strips,

that is to say, when the shell A is in retracted position, attractively flush with, and disposed closurewise in an opening b provided for the purpose in, the instrument-board B.

It may also be noted that the shell bottom wall 4 is preferably marginally extended rearwardly, as at a, beyond the shell rear wall I in the provision normally of a support for the rearend portio 25 of an open-top dispensing-tray T, which has the form and contour best seen in Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6. As shown, the tray T includes a main or front-end portion t comprising parallel Walls 6, 6, spaced one from the other sufficiently to accommodate a standard cigarette C therebetween and rigidly connected in such spaced parallel relation by a preferably arcuate bottom wall 1 and a front wall 8. Fixed within the tray T and disposed between the side walls 6 and in slightly elevated position over the bottom wall 1, is a false bottom wall or platform 9, which is of reduced length relatively to the tray side walls 6 and spaced at its forward margin from the tray front wall 8, as shown, the bottom wall I being longitudinally slotted, as at "Iii, for that portion of its length intermediate the front wall 8 and the forward margin of theplatform 9 for workably accommodating a reduced extension I I of a presser-plate l2 yieldingly disposed, under the engagement of said extension I! in a registering notch 4 in the forward margin of the shell bottom wall 4, in flatwise abutting relation to the tray front wall 8 when the tray T is in normal or non-dispensing position or in the position thereof shown in Figures 2 and 3. Attached at an end to the plate I2 for purposes presently appearing, is a suitable coiled expansion spring is disposed lengthwise of the tray normally intermediate the bottom wall I and platform 9 and suitably attached at its opposite end to the tray T, as at M.

The tray walls 6, 6, are oppositely extended laterally, as at l5, l5, at their rear end and are then further extended rearwardly, as at IS, IS, in the provision of a suitable compartment for an element E forming part of the lighting means of the structure, the element E being presented forwardly within, and suitably mounted upon, but insulated from, the tray '1, as shown. The extensions !6, I6, are, in turn, oppositely extended laterally, as at l1, l1, and then rearwardly, as at l8, l8, and permanently connected framewise at their rear end by a rear wall l9, and fixed to and presented laterally outwardly from the side wall extensions l8 and from the main side walls 20 for engaging ways 2|, 2|, fixed to and upon the shell bottom wall 4 for supporting the tray T for lengthwise shiftable movement longitudinally of the shell A and over the shell bottom wall 4 and through suitable openings 22, 23, provided for the accommodation of the tray T in the shell rear and front walls I and 3, respectively.

' As shown, the front or main portion 1; of the tray T has a length to normally extend from the shell rear wall 1 to the shell front wall and suitably fixed to and upon the outer face of the tray front wall 8, is a plate 24 for snug, artistic closurewise presentation in the shell opening '23 when the tray T is in normal retracted position.

Fixed to and upon the plate 25, is a knob or button 25 for convenient finger engagement for the shiftable actuation of tray T, and fixed to, and projecting outwardly from, one of the traywall exttensions I8, is a pin or stud 25, which is engageable with the shell front Wall 3 at the rim of the opening 23 for limiting movement of the tray T to dispensing position.

It may here be stated that the tray T is preferably equipped with a latch 21 for releasable engagement with the instrument-board B for holding the shell A from shiftable movement when and during shiftable movement of the tray T to dispensing position.

It may be further here stated that the tray side walls 6 are preferably cut away along their upper margin, as at 3', for enabling convenient finger-gripping of a cigarette C presented in the tray T for removal when the tray T is in dispensing position, and it will be observed that, when the tray T is pulled outwardly to dispensing position, the presser-plate i2 is correspondingly shifted forwardly from the shell front wall 3 and yieldingly, under the pull or tension of the spring l3, caused to move rearwardly with re spect to the tray T into endwise engagement with the particular cigarette'C' deposited in the tray T for holding the same in lighting engagement at its opposite end with the element E.

Hinged'ly mounted at a side margin, as at 28, upon the respective shell side walls 2, are oppositely disposed hopper-doors or flaps F, which have a length to extend from the shell rear wall I to adjacent the shell front wall 3 and a width to normally, that is to say, when the tray T is in retracted or non-dispensing position, register at their lower or free margin f with the tray side walls 6, so that cigarettes C deposited in the shell A will successively one by one roll into the tray F for lighting and dispensing, as best seen in Figure 4.

Obliquely and reversely depending from the flaps F at their free margin are oppositely disposed narrow extensions j, with which the traywall extensions I5, l5, are adapted to camwise engage, n and during outward movement of the tray T to dispense a particular cigarette C, for so elevating the flaps F that their opposed free margins f are brought closely together for supporting the remaining cigarettes C within the shell A, as best seen in Figure 7, for successive tray removal.

Also forming part of the lighting means of the structure, is a spring-contact 29 fixed at its one or rear end, as at 29, to and upon, but-suitably insulated from, the shell bottom wall 4 and having its opposite or free end yieldingly presented forwardly of the shell A, and having electrical connection, as at 30, with the contactmember 29 for connecting the same electrically with the battery of the automobile or other source of electrical energy, is a suitable conductor 3i. Suitably mounted upon, and insulated from, one of the Wall extensions l8, as best seen in Figures 2 and 5, is a rigid contact-member 32 having electrical communication by means of a conductor 33 with one side of the element E, the member 32 being adapted for sliding electrical engagement with the contact 29, as seen in Figure 6, when the tray T is projected forwardly into dispensing position and it being understood that the element E has its other side suitably grounded upon the automobile.

. Accordingly, in use, when the tray T is in normal or retracted position, or in the housed position thereof shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the walls or flaps F will register at their free margins f with the upper margins of the walls 6 of the tray T and permitting a single cigarette only, designated C, of the cigarettes C disposed in the shell A, to roll into the tray T intermediate the element E and the presser plate l2, as best seen in Figures 2 and 4, the contact 32 being out of engagement with the contact-strip 29 and the element E being deenergized.

On the tray T being pulled forwardly by finger engagement with the knob or button 25, or into the dispensing position thereof illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the contact 32 will be engaged with the contact-strip 29, closing the circuit to, and for energizing, the element E and the plate l2 will engage with the forwardly presented end of the deposited cigarette C and yieldingly press the same in engagement at its opposite end with the energized element E. The cigarette C will be permitted to remain in engagement with the element E a sufficient time to enable full lighting, when the cigarette C may be very readily gripped at the recesses 6' and removed from the tray T for consumption. And as the tray T is shifted forwardly into dispensing position, the offset-wall portions 15 will camwise engage with the oblique extensions f of the hopper walls or flaps F and swingably actuate the same into approximate abutment, as best seen in Figure 7, and retain the flaps F in such position so long as the tray T is in dispensing position for supporting the remaining cigarettes C in the shell A for successive tray removal, as desired,

On the particular and now lighted cigarette C being removed from the tray T, the tray T is returned to normal, housed position. During such returning movement, the contact-member 32 is shifted out of engagement with the strip 29, the circuit thus broken, and element E de-energized, and the wall-sections iii are shifted from under the flaps F, when the latter, under gravity pull and the weight of the superposed cigarettes C, swingably return to tray registering position for ermitting a second cigarette to roll into or enter the tray T for removal.

Thus the contained cigarettes C are successively one by one removed from the shell A and lighted for respective consumption.

The structure fulfills in every respect the objects stated, and it is to be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the structure may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention. In this connection, it may be noted that the shell side walls 2 are oppositely flanged inwardly on their upper margins, as at 2', and such flanges 2', in turn, formed with registering opposed ways or slots, as at x, for removably accommodating a partition 34 for enabling the shell A to snugly accommodate cigarettes of different length, the partition 34 being cut away in its lower margin, as at 34', in registration with the shell-opening 23 for .permitting free reciprocation of the tray T to and from dispensing posi- 2. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having an apertured front wall, in combination with means for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including an open-top tray endwise reciprocable relatively to the shell through said aperture, and members mounted for movement within the shell for cooperation with the tray for delivering the housed cigarettes one by one into the tray for removal.

3. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having opposite side walls and an apertured front'wall, in combination with means for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell,

' said means including an open-top tray endwise reciprocable relatively to the shell through said aperture, and opposed flaps swingably mounted upon the shell side walls for co-operation with the tray for delivering the housed cigarettes one by one into the tray for removal.

4. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having opposite side walls and an apertured front wall, in combination with means for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including an open-top tray endwise reciprocable intermediate the shell side Walls and through said aperture, opposed flaps swingably mounted upon the shell side walls for delivering a single cigarette to the tray when housed in the shell, and projections on the tray for swingably actuating said flaps for supporting all the remaining housed cigarettes when the tray is shifted through said aperture into dispensing position.

5. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having opposite side walls and an apertured front wall, in combination with means for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including an open-top tray endwise reciprocable intermediate the shell side walls and through said aperture, opposed flaps swingably mounted upon the shell side walls and normally obliquely disposed with their opposed free margins in spaced relation for delivering a single house-d cigarette to the tray when housed in the shell, said flaps having oppositely disposed extensions projecting obliquely therefrom at their free margins, and projections on the tray for engagin said flap-extensions when the tray is shifted through said aperture into dispensing position for swingably actuating said flaps for approximate abutmentat their free margins for supporting all the remaining housed cigarettes,

6. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housin the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having opposite side ,walls and an apertured front wall, in combination with means for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell,,said means including an open-top tray endwise reciprocable intermediate the shell side Walls and through said aperture, opposed flaps swingably mounted upon the shell side walls and normally under gravity pull obliquely disposed with their opposed free margins in spaced relation and in engagement with the opposite side walls of the tray for delivering a single housed cigarette to the tray when housed in the shell, said flaps having oppositely disposed extensions projecting obliquely therefrom at their free margins, and projections on the tray for engaging said flap-extensions when the tray is shifted through said aperture into dispensing position for swingably actuating said flaps for approximate abutment at their free margins for supporting all the remaining housed cigarettes, said flaps automatically swinging to normal position when and as the tray is returned to housed position.

'7. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising,.in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having an apertured front wall and spaced ways registering with said aperture, a tray having slidable engagement with said ways for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one .from the shell, and means including members mounted within the shell for oo-operation with the tray for delivering the housed cigarettes one by one into the tray for removal.

8. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a bottom wall, an apertured front wall, and spaced ways on the bottom wall registering with said aperture, a tray movable over the bottom wall and having slidable connection with said ways for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, and means including members mounted within the shell for co-operation with the tray for delivering the housed cigarettes one by one intothe tray for removal.

9. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a bottom wall, an apertured front wall, opposed side walls, and spaced ways on the bottom wall intermediate and spaced from the side walls and registering with said aperture, a relatively narrow elongated tray reciprocable over the bottom wall and having slidable connection with said ways for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, and means including members mounted within the shell for co-operation with the tray for delivering the housed cigarettes one by one into the tray for removal.

10. A cigarette container, dispenser, and lighter comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having an apertured front wall, means including a tray endwise reciprocable relatively to the shell through said aperture for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, and means for lighting the housed cigarettes as they are successively removed endwise by the tray from the shell, said lighting means including a normally open electric circuit and a normally de-energized lighting element included in said circuit and carried by the tray for cigarette-end engagement.

11. A cigarette container, dispenser, and lightre comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having an apertured front wall, means including a tray endwise reciprocable relatively to the shell through said aperture for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, and means for lighting the housed cigarettes as they are successively removed endwise by the tray from the shell, said lighting means including a first contact member fixed on and insulated from the shell and adapted for inclusion in an electric circuit, a lighting element on the tray having one grounded side, and a second contact member carried by the tray and having electrical connection with the opposite side of the element and adapted for electrical engagement with the first contact member when the tray is in dispensing position for energizing the lighting element.

12. A cigarette container, dispenser, and lighter comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, means including a tray re-ciprocable relatively to the shell for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, means including a lighting element on the tray adapted for inclusion in an electric circuit for lighting the housed cigarettes as they are successively by the tray removed from the shell, and means on the tray for yieldingly pressing the trayed cigarette into endwise engagement with the lighting element.

13. A cigarette container, dispenser, and lighter comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, means including a tray reciprocable relatively to the shell for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, means including a lighting element on the tray adapted for inclusion in an electric circuit for lighting the housed cigarettes as they are successively by the tray removed from the shell, and means including a spring-pulled shiftable plate on the tray for endwise engaging the trayed cigarette for yieldingly pressing the cigarette into engagement at its opposite end with the lightin element.

14. A cigarette container, dispenser, and lighter comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having an apertured front wall, means including a tray endwise reciprocable relatively to the shell through said aperture for endwise removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, means for lighting the housed cigarettes as they are successively removed endwise by the tray from the shell, said lighting means including a first contact member fixed on and insulated from the shell and adapted for inclusion in an electric circuit, a lighting element on the tray having one grounded side, and a second contact member carried by the tray and having electrical connection with the opposite side of the element and adapted for electrical engagement with the first contact member when the tray is in dispensing position for energizing the lighting element, and means including a spring-pulled plate on the tray for endwise engaging the successively trayed cigarettes for yieldingly pressing the same into engagement at their opposite end with the lighting element.

RICHARD MAYER. 

